Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Outer Banks Community Foundation has announced it has awarded $198,800 in 81 scholarships to 70 students this spring, the most awards ever in the Community Foundation’s expanding scholarship program’s history.

Forty-four percent of this year’s 41 senior scholarship recipients are the first in their families to attend college. Also, six scholarship awards were made in 2023 through new scholarship funds. Scholarships were awarded to three COA students and 38 graduating seniors from Cape Hatteras Secondary School, Currituck County High School, First Flight High School, J.P. Knapp Early College High School and Manteo High School. Of these students, 24 received awards that are renewable for up to four years of college. The Community Foundation also has renewed financial support to 29 current college students who earned multi-year, renewable scholarships.

“We’re all proud of the fact that this year’s recipient group is the largest and most diverse in our Foundation’s history,” said Community Foundation Board Chair Jean-Louise Dixon. “This attests to the program’s continued focus of encouraging every local student who wants to further his or her education to apply for the many scholarship opportunities we offer.”

Seven enhanced scholarship funds, the Community Foundation’s most prestigious and significant awards, accounted for $86,000 in new and renewing scholarship awards this year. Four of these enhanced scholarships were awarded to newly-selected graduating seniors:

The Milton A. Jewell Academic Scholarship, a four-year, $24,000 renewable scholarship, was awarded to Cole Walker, a Manteo High School graduating senior. Walker will attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University this fall, where he plans to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering.

The Jerry and Arlene Davis Scholarship, a four-year, $24,000 renewable scholarship, was awarded to Ebony Orgsbon, a Manteo High School graduating senior. Orgsbon, the first in her family to go to college, will attend NC Agricultural and Technical State University in the fall, where she plans to study veterinary medicine.

The Elizabeth and Wayne Evans Scholarship, a four-year, $20,000 renewable scholarship, was awarded to Daisy Morales-Bravo, a First Flight High School graduating senior. Morales-Bravo plans to study nursing at East Carolina University. She is also a first-generation college student.

Cape Hatteras Secondary School senior Alan Garcia Velazquez was awarded the R. Stewart Couch Hatteras Island Scholarship, a one-time $8,000 award. He plans to study finance or business at East Carolina University.

For a full list of scholarship recipients, go to obcf.org/scholarships/recent-recipients.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS HERE.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE COASTLAND TIMES TODAY!